Decorative button



Jan. 20, 1970 J. R. SUCHER 3,490,105

DECORATIVE BUTTON Filed April 29, 1968 INVENTOR, JOSEPH R. SUCHER ATTORNEY United States Patent G 3,490,105 DECORATIVE BUTTON Joseph R. Sucher, Woodmere, N.Y., assignor to Emsig Manufacturing Corp., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 724,721 Int. Cl. A44b 1/18 U.S. C]. 24-90 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A decorative button of the sew-through type including front and rear faces and through holes for sewing thread, characterized by at least the front face having a convex, dome-like center portion the dome being surrounded by an annular shoulder depressed with respect to the front surface of the button, the button holes being formed substantially at the junction of the outer periphery or base of the dome and the shoulder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention is in the field of sew-through buttons.

The prior art As is well known, so-called sew-through buttons are generally essentially disk-like in conformation and include a plurality of axially directed sewing holes extending between the major faces of the button. Typically, the buttons are attached by stitching extending between the button and a garment. The stitching, in the nature of a series of loops, extends through one sewing aperture or hole of a button, through the garment, and back upwardly through an adjacent button hole. The thread is disposed against the front face of the button between the sewing holes and then led back through a button hole and through the garment in a well known manner.

In many instances, such as in the manufacture of mens shirts, the buttons are applied by automatic button feeding apparatus used in conjunction with button sewing machines which rapidly form the stitches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A button of the sew-through type comprising a disk or like generally fiat body having a center attachment portion defined by an abrupt annular shoulder depressed from the face of the button, the central portion inwardly of the shoulder having a raised, convex dome member which slopes toward the annular shoulder, with the outer periphery of the dome merging with the deepest cut portion of the annular shoulder, the button including sewing holes formed intersecting or closely adjacent the junctions of the periphery of the dome and the annular shoulder.

By this means there is provided a button wherein the components of the stitching thread on the face of the button will be cammed by the sloped dome portion laterally, to lie in conforming relation with the annular shoulder, thereby to camouflage the thread and provide a button having an improved appearance when sewed to the garment.

Further, by reason of the domed conformation, the use of automatic sewing equipment is facilitated since slight misalignments of the needle with respect to the sewing hole will be compensated for, with the needle being deflected into the sewing hole by the inclined configuration of the dome.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved sew-through button.

3,490,105 Patented Jan. 20, 1970 To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the front face of a button in accordance with the invention after attachment to a garment;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an offset sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a button of the sewthrough type, so called because it incorporates a series of button sewing apertures 11 extending between the upper and lower faces 12, 13 of the button.

The principal advance of the present invention lies in the conformation of the front face of the button, it being understood that the rear face may be identically configurated, if desired, to provide a symmetrical structure.

The face 12 is provided with a central sewing area 14 defined or bounded by an annular shoulder 15. The area of the front face bounded by the shoulder 15 is provided with a domed, convex portion or formation 16, having its apex substantially coincident with the surface of the button, the domed portion sloping gradually toward and merging with the circular circumference line 17 defined by the low point of the annular shoulder. The sewing holes 11 are formed so that at least some portion thereof intersects the circumference line 17. In the illustrated embodiment, the radial outermost portions of the sewing holes are disposed essentially tangent to the circumference line 17, although it will be understood that the objects of the invention may be achieved with other intersecting relationships.

In the sewing of the button in order to achieve the advantages thereof, the stitching must be disposed between adjacent sewing holes 11 rather than across the dome between diametrically opposed sewing holes. In the stitching operation, it will be obvious that should the needle of the sewing machine strike the button at an area slightly disposed from the actual location of the sewing hole, it will be cammed by the inclined dome face outwardly toward the vertical shoulder wall 15, which will act as a guide for the needle.

However, most importantly, by reason of the inclined dome portion and its intersecting relation with the annular shoulder 15, when a stitch component S lying adjacent the upper face of the button is pulled tight by the looper mechanism of the sewing machine, it will be cammed outwardly and formed into an essentially arcuate configuration lying at or immediately adjacent the shoulder 15. The thus arcuately arranged upper stitching portions .8 will be camouflaged by their adjacent relationship to the wall 15, leaving the upper face of the button clear of any apparent stitching. In other words, the overlapping stitching elements, by reason of their close adjacency to the shoulder wall 15, will appear to merge with the wall, giving an appearance simulating a shank button, i.e. a button which is maintained on the face of the garment by stitching running parallel to and hidden from the exposed face of the button.

Preferably the apex of the dome, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, does not extend higher than the plane of the major face of the button, although it is contemplated that in some circumstances a projecting dome may be desirable.

While it is preferred that the conformation of the central portion be essentially circular at the base and generated by symmetrical rotation about an axis perpendicular to the face of the button, it will be understood that other conformations, including particularly conformations which are planar or straight-sided but which are capable of functioning to deflect the thread against the shoulder portion, will be suitable. Accordingly, the terms dome, domed and convex as herein used are to be broadly construed as relating to a structure capable of deflecting the thread into the junction of the base of the inclined surface and the adjacent Wall.

Obviously, while the buttons are particularly adapted for machine sewing, the advantages in appearance may be obtained by hand stitching methods.

The domed button face, which is free from any threads traversing light reflecting surface portions of the button, will present a highly attractive appearance, particularly if made of a pearlescent composition.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A sew-through button comprising a central sewing area defined by an annular shoulder extending angularly with respect to the front and rear faces of the button, a convex domed conformation having a central apex portion disposed essentially centrally of said sewing area, the portions of said domed conformation radially outwardly 4 of said apex sloping progressively toward the rear face of said button and merging with said annular shoulder at the radial outermost portions thereof, and sewing holes extending between the faces of said button and intersecting the merging portions of said annular shoulder and dome.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 including at least three sewing holes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,460,840 7/ 1923 Bowles 2490 1,694,802 12/1928 Stuart 2490 2,451,077 10/ 1948 Emsig 2490 FOREIGN PATENTS 996,567 8/ 1951 France. 515,412 1/ 1931 Germany.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner 

